2020 is trickling away, social distancing remains in effect and we are all getting used to the "new normal", whatever that is. The government has been easing restrictions on social gatherings, leading many club members to inquire if we will be able to resume some club activities even on a limited basis. Yesterday, the OCA released their latest guidelines for the Progressive Return to Riding, and the guidelines required for the resumption of sanctioned (insured) club activities. In my opinion it still effectively negates ANY club activity with more than five participants on a single route on a single day. For all the details I encourage you to follow the links and read the documents immediately below.
On May 25th, the CCA announced that all cycling activities have been cancelled or postponed until July 1st. As the OCA has been following the CCA's lead I expect the OCA to follow the same policy. The CC link can be found here.
If you haven’t read the OCA releases some excerpts are below:
All participants must have signed the ONTARIO CYCLING ASSOCIATION ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, RELEASE, INDEMNITY and ASSUMPTION of RISK regarding COVID-19:
Groups must be comprised of five (5) or fewer participants at all times:
A sanctioned Group Activity CANNOT have more than five people involved – this includes prior to the start (warm-up/preparation) to the end of any activity (congregation in parking lot leading to departure).
Clubs/Teams CANNOT have more than five members meet at a location [even at physical distance] and then break into smaller groups.
Participants ARE NOT interchangeable within the same activity [e.g. two participants cannot leave the activity and two different participants join] – this would constitute the activity to involve more than five people
Activities CANNOT be structured to have groups [five or less] arrive and participate at different start times within the same activity. As example, hosting a time trial type of activity over a 4- hour period where five or less participants arrive every 30 minutes to complete their effort and depart prior to the next group arriving. The total accumulation of all participants [5 each half-hour] would violate the provincial regulations of “an organized public event of more than five people” regardless if no more than five people are present at any one time.
Groups must be comprised of five (5) or fewer participants at all times:
A sanctioned Group Activity CANNOT have more than five people involved – this includes prior to the start (warm-up/preparation) to the end of any activity (congregation in parking lot leading to departure).
Clubs/Teams CANNOT have more than five members meet at a location [even at physical distance] and then break into smaller groups.
Participants ARE NOT interchangeable within the same activity [e.g. two participants cannot leave the activity and two different participants join] – this would constitute the activity to involve more than five people
Activities CANNOT be structured to have groups [five or less] arrive and participate at different start times within the same activity. As example, hosting a time trial type of activity over a 4- hour period where five or less participants arrive every 30 minutes to complete their effort and depart prior to the next group arriving. The total accumulation of all participants [5 each half-hour] would violate the provincial regulations of “an organized public event of more than five people” regardless if no more than five people are present at any one time.
So to sum up, all OCA sanctioned activities are limited to a single event on a single day with a single start time with a maximum of five riders with completed waivers. End of story. No staggered starts, no broken groups, no recorded individual events. Not listed but also required is sending all ride information for each group of five to the OCA prior to the ride for approval and sanctioning, plus a long list of sanitizing requirements and other rules.
So based on the above, we will not be organizing any events until restrictions are further eased. If you wish to call up four friends and go for a ride, please do so. Just be sure to follow the new rules with which are becoming all to familiar with.
